- Lewis Richardson lost to Mexican boxer Marco Verde in the semi-finals
- This loss means the Colchester boxer departs Paris with a bronze medal
- Richardson is the sole member of the GB Boxing team to secure a medal in Paris
British boxer Lewis Richardson secured an Olympic bronze medal after experiencing a split decision loss in his Paris semi-final.
In the men’s 71kg semi-finals, Richardson faced off against Mexican boxer Marco Verde.
Though Richardson had already guaranteed a bronze medal, he aimed to achieve a silver by advancing to the Olympic final.
Verde took the first round, but Richardson responded well in the second, keeping the bout competitive.
After a closely fought third round, the decision went to the judges, who awarded Verde a 3-2 split verdict, allowing him to progress to the final.

Lewis Richardson, left, was beaten in the men’s 71kg semi-finals to miss out on a gold medal fight

The British boxer believed he had done enough to win but lost via a split decision verdict

Richardson endured disappointment in the ring but will leave the Games with a bronze medal
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‘It’s devastating, it’s raw. Of course, I’m disappointed to miss out on the final and the chance to fight for gold on Friday night,’ Richardson shared with the BBC.
‘Initially, I felt disappointment, but I hope to reflect back and feel proud of my achievements since I’ve made history for my hometown, Colchester.
‘I am the only British boxer to win a medal in these Games, and I hope that in the future, I can look back with pride and joy.
‘I’ll need to review the fight, but it was close, ending in a 3-2 split decision.
‘Two judges scored in my favor, while three went against me. Every round was competitive and close, which is the nature of amateur boxing. Sometimes it’s just a toss-up, and unfortunately, this time it didn’t work out for me.’